This is a glorious day.
Abbot Ale
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| Date: | 9/11/2007 |
| Brewery: | Greene King |
| Beer: | Abbot Ale |
| Origin: | Suffolk, England |
| Style: | English Pale Ale |
| Container: | 1-Pint Can |
| Purchased: | Kegs & Barrels, Plano, TX |
| Price: | $8.49 per 4-Pack |
| Alcohol: | 5% ABV |
| Brewer's Description: | English Pub Ale - Brewed longer for a distinctive full flavor. From website: Greene King's flagship brand Abbot Ale is a favourite with the nation's discerning beer drinker. An iconic beer, Abbot is brewed for longer in a traditional way in order to achieve its world famous distinctive taste. The secret of Abbot Ale lies not only in its ingredients but the way it is treated along every step of its production, from the arrival of the raw ingredients at the brewery to the cask and beyond. The result (a pint of perfect beer) is due to the care, dedication and craftsmanship of everyone who works on Abbot Ale. Quality is the benchmark. Abbot Ale is brewed with pale crystal and amber malts to give an attractive colour and rich malty taste. Challenger hops give it bitterness with a spicy overtone and to really boost the taste and aroma to the maximum it is late-hopped with Fuggles to provide the floral tones and fruity esters. Full flavoured, smooth and mature, Abbot Ale is an exceptional, quality drink. No wonder this beer is the first choice for so many discerning real ale lovers. |
| Appearance: | Dark amber in color. Didn’t pour much head. Small bubbles randomly rise. |
| Aroma: | Has a somewhat rich aroma. Smelled a bit nutty. |
| Taste: | Not too far off from Wexford’s Irish Cream in taste. A bit bitter. |
| Mouth Feel: | At least it has more carbonation (a little) than Wexford’s. Still not enough. |
| Drinkability: | Overall, very much like Wexford’s. I don’t like it very much. I won’t get it again. I'll give it a 2, only because it had a tiny bit more carbonation than Wexford's. |
| Score: | 2 / 10 |
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Boulevard Pale Ale
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| Date: | 9/7/2007 |
| Brewery: | Boulevard Brewing Co. |
| Beer: | Pale Ale |
| Origin: | Kansas City, MO |
| Style: | American Pale Ale |
| Container: | 12oz. Brown Glass Bottle, Twist-off Cap |
| Purchased: | |
| Price: | $0 per 12-pack |
| Alcohol: | 4.9% ABV |
| Brewer's Description: | -Bottle Conditioned- In the tradition of great ales, we've added a small amount of yeast to the beer just before packaging to produce a secondary fermentation in the bottle. The yeast, which settles naturally to the bottom of the bottle, encourages further maturation and contributes to the beer's complex flavor. Brewed with two row barley malt, pure water, whole hops and yeast. |
| Appearance: | Medium-amber in color. Poured a good head and retained it well. Very small bubbles evolve while sitting in a glass on the counter. |
| Aroma: | Not quite as "spicy" as the HopDevil, but can smell what I guess is hops. Nothing too distinct. |
| Taste: | Very good pale ale. Just the right bitterness. Mild, not too bitter. |
| Mouth Feel: | Just right carbonation. Smooth. |
| Drinkability: | Very drinkable. So far, my favorite American Pale Ale. |
| Score: | 7 / 10 |
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"Old Speckled Hen"
| Date: | 8/24/2007 |
| Brewery: | Morland Brewing |
| Beer: | Old Speckled Hen |
| Origin: | Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, UK |
| Style: | Pale Ale |
| Container: | 12oz. Clear Glass Bottle, Normal Cap |
| Purchased: | Goody Goody, Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX |
| Price: | $0 per 6-pack |
| Alcohol: | 5.2% ABV |
| Brewer's Description: | Named after an unusual, speckled vintage MG car, Old Speckled Hen is a pale ale which owes it's distinctive character and dry taste to a unique strain of yeast, first used in 1896. The complex flavour reflects skills developed across more than 280 years of independent brewing history. |
| Appearance: | Medium amber color. Slow bubbles. Retained head for only a couple of minutes. |
| Aroma: | Taking a deep breath of it yields almost a nutty aroma, but not immediately. |
| Taste: | OSH has a very complex flavor. It's unlike any I've had, so it is kind of hard to describe. There is definitely more of an aftertaste than a taste while in your mouth. Not too sweet, but not too bitter. Can't really pick out any specific flavors. |
| Mouth Feel: | Much smoother than the Sunshine from last night. Only a little bite from carbonation when held in mouth. Not as much carbonation as the Sunshine, which is a good thing. |
| Drinkability: | Very nice overall. Would not drink this beer for effect. Should be very good with a meal. Will definitely get this again. Will be interesting to compare this to Boulevard Pale Ale (one of my favorites). |
| Score: | 6 / 10 |
Other links:
- Old Speckled Hen scored 81 on
- Old Speckled Hen scored 3.15 on
